UFC awaiting Nevada approval for May 30 and June 6 events

UFC president Dana White may have jumped the gun just a bit on hosting a UFC event on May 30 in Las Vegas.

White on Wednesday texted Las Vegas Review-Journal's Adam Hill, telling him, "we are a go on the 30th," for the promotion's plans to host a UFC Fight Night event at its Apex facility in Las Vegas. He may have some inside information to which the rest of us aren't privy, but the Nevada State Athletic Commission has yet to approve plans to open up the state to combat sports events.

The UFC seemed to acknowledge as much with a statement it posted on its website on Wednesday:

UFC requests that the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NAC) place the organization’s application to conduct an event at the UFC Apex facility on May 30, 2020 on its next agenda. In light of published reports, UFC would like to clarify that it understands that its ability to conduct the event is subject to the approval of the NAC. UFC’s ability to conduct the event is also subject to compliance with all NAC rules and regulations and its own Operations, Health and Safety plan previously submitted to the NAC.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has a meeting scheduled for May 27, which leaves three days until the UFC's planned event on Saturday, May 30.

The UFC's request for the May 30 event, as well as a June 6 event at the Apex have been added to the NSAC agenda for the May 27 meeting. The agenda also includes, of course, a hearing on approval of the Nevada State Athletic Commission COVID-19 protocols for events held without the presence of a live audience.

Once Nevada allows the UFC to begin holding events at the Apex, White intends to hold the majority of domestic events at the facility along with occasional events to facilitate international fighters at its Fight Island, the infrastructure of which is currently being built. White hopes to have Fight Island ready to host events by mid-to-late June.